What is Mindfulness?Due to the recent widespread media coverage on the far-reaching health benefits of mindfulness, misconceptions about the practice have become common as it has moved from spiritual to secular realms. So what is the reality? And how can this one thing have such a dramatic impact on so many people, in so many areas of their lives? This book aims to demystify the confusions that often get in the way of mindfulness training, and help readers get to grip with it in a way they can put to optimal use in their daily lives. After an insightful introduction about why the subject of mindfulness is so worth exploring, each chapter then addresses a key question: What does mindfulness really mean and what are its benefits? Where does it come from and how has it developed through the years? How can I get the most from it? What are the key tools to develop it? And finally, what are the future possibilities for society as a whole with mindfulness? As such, this book brings readers on an exploratory journey through the fascinating world of mindfulness, giving us a deeper understanding of what it means to live mindfully, revealing the depth of its capacity to enhance our everyday lives, and in turn helping us lead more connected, aware and contented lives. |
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4-step mindful 4-step mindful moment acting with awareness activity alert alert–relaxed allow automatic become aware benefits of mindfulness body and mind brain networks Buddhism Chapter choose Cognitive Therapy commitment compassionate creative deliberate develop mindfulness distracted emotional emotional intelligence engage everyday example experience explore feel Focus On box focused attention FOCUSON gentle happens healthcare held in mind impact informal practices intuitive knowledge judgemental Kabat-Zinn King’s College London learning less reactive Mark Williams MBCT MBSR mental habits mental sensations mind wanders mind-wandering mindful awareness mindful walking mindfulness practice mindfulness training move neural neural networks Neuroscience neuroscientific non-reactive and non-judgemental notice options over-arching intentions pain paying attention physical posture practising mindfulness programme react relate route secular self-compassion set your intention Smartphones Social media stiff upper lip supercharged awareness teacher things thinking thoughts understanding what’s going